If the September 22 battery fire at the Metropolitan Water District facility on Wheeler Avenue impacted your home or your family, McCune Law Group wants you to have clear, accurate information.
Have Questions? Call (909) 321-6188 for a Free, Confidential Conversation.
Own or run a business in the affected area? Visit our La Verne business information page.
What Happened in La Verne
Around 11:40 a.m. on September 22, 2026, a fire broke out in a lithium-ion battery energy storage system near a solar panel field at the Metropolitan Water District facility on Wheeler Avenue, which also houses the Weymouth Water Treatment Plant. Crews reported a small explosion in the battery unit, and one person was taken to a hospital. A hazmat team responded.
Fire activity had diminished significantly by about 2:30 p.m., and the original fire is now out. But officials say the damaged batteries can reheat and potentially reignite or release hazardous vapors. When crews reduced cooling efforts on September 23, temperatures spiked in both storage units and cooling efforts continue.
As of September 25, the evacuation order has been lifted, but police sources suggest more than 500 homes may have been impacted. The order area ran:
- North to Foothill Boulevard
- South to Paseo Drive, Winterhaven Drive, and Kendrick Drive
- East to B Street
- West to Moreno Avenue
Officials also issued evacuation warnings and advisories for the surrounding area. Seven schools were inside those zones:
- Evacuation warning area: Grace Miller Elementary, Calvary Baptist Schools, Ramona Middle School, Damien High School, and Joan Macy School
- Advisory Area: Bonita High School and J. Marion Roynon Elementary
The Metropolitan Water District has said the fire did not affect the safety of its water supply.
Who McCune Law Group Is Hearing From
We are listening to residents across all three zones, including:
- Displaced homeowners and renters paying for hotels, meals, gas, and pet boarding
- Families told to shelter in place with windows and doors closed
- Workers who lost shifts because their job site or commute ran through the affected area
- Residents with symptoms after the smoke
- Property owners concerned about residue on homes, yards, or vehicles. Own or run a business in the affected area? Visit our La Verne business information page.
It is too early to know what, if anything, comes next, and not every evacuation leads to a legal claim. But your experience helps us understand what this event cost La Verne.
What to Keep Track of Now
Every household is different. Worth documenting now:
- Evacuation costs: hotel, meals, gas, pet boarding, replacement essentials
- Missed work or lost pay because of school closures or childcare, and whether you are paid hourly or salaried
- Notices from your child’s school about closures or shelter-in-place orders
- Doctor or urgent care visits for symptoms after the smoke
- Cleanup of ash or residue, and anything damaged or thrown away
- When you left home, where you stayed, and when you returned
Save receipts, screenshots of the emergency alerts, and photos of your home when you return.
Why McCune Law Group
For more than 35 years, McCune Law Group has stood with Southern California communities, and we have recovered more than $1 billion for our clients.* McCune Law Group filed a class action in federal court over the May 2026 GKN Aerospace chemical evacuation in Garden Grove, and we serve as co-lead counsel in the litigation over the June 17, 2026 Lineage Logistics warehouse fire in Boyle Heights.
La Verne is close to home. Our principal office is on East Guasti Road in Ontario. We handle these matters on contingency, which means no fees unless we recover money for you.**
Talk to Us Before You Sign Anything
If an insurer or company representative asks you to sign a release or claim form, it helps to understand what you are agreeing to first. A conversation with us is free and does not obligate you to anything.
Have Questions? Call (909) 321-6188. Free. Confidential. No obligation.
Frequently Asked Questions
My street was only under an advisory. Should I still keep my records?
Yes. Zones changed Tuesday afternoon, and records cost nothing to keep.
Is my tap water safe to drink?
Yes, according to the Metropolitan Water District, which has said the fire did not affect the safety of its water supply.
I found ash or residue on my car and patio. What should I do?
Photograph it before you clean it, and follow any cleanup guidance from local officials.
I stayed with family and didn’t pay for a hotel. Does my experience still matter?
Yes. Being kept out of your home matters whether or not it came with a hotel bill.
Do I have to live inside the order area for my experience to count?
No. Residents under warnings, advisories, and shelter-in-place instructions were affected too.
My child’s school was in the warning or advisory area, but our home was not. Does that count?
Yes. If your child attended one of the seven schools in those areas and your family missed work, lost pay, or needed emergency childcare because of a closure, we would like to hear from you.
I’m paid salary, not hourly. Does missed work still matter?
Yes. Note the days you missed and whether the time came out of your pay, sick leave, or vacation.
Do I need to decide anything right now?
No. Take care of your household first. Legal deadlines do apply to matters like this, so it is better to ask questions sooner than later.
Disclosures
* Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each case is evaluated on its own facts.
** Costs and expenses may be advanced and recovered from a settlement or judgment when one is obtained.
Related: Environmental practice | La Verne business information page
Attorney Advertising
McCune Law Group, APC is responsible for this advertisement. The information provided on this website is for general information purposes only. The information you obtain is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. Use of this website or submission of the online form does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Counsel Michele Vercoski is licensed to practice in California, New York, and New Jersey. The law firm of McCune Law Group has attorneys licensed to practice law in AZ, CA, GA, MO, NY, and PA. McCune Law Group is a national firm that brings lawsuits in a majority of the states. In states where one of its attorneys is not barred, it does so by filing the complaint along with local counsel barred in that state.
The results discussed do not guarantee, warrant, or predict the results in future cases.
Need More Information?
Contact us today at (909) 321-6188 to talk with our team about the La Verne battery fire evacuation.
